This is the class blog for Eng 1102 at GA Tech called "Fiction, Human Rights, and Social Responsibility." The purpose of this blog is to extend our discussion beyond the classroom and to become aware of human rights issues that exist in the world today and how technology has played a role in either solving or aggravating them. Blogs will be a paragraph long (250 words) and students will contribute once every three weeks according to class number. Entries must be posted by Friday midnight.

Friday, March 8, 2013

Widespread Torture Disguised as Medical Care

Just a few days ago, an independent United Nations
human rights expert called the UN Human Rights Council’s attention to a form of
torture that has been generally neglected by the world: medical care. The general
public has a largely positive connotation of health care and medical care, and
generally speaking, health care systems bring about immensely positive changes
to cities and countries around the world. However, Juan Méndez, the UN’s “Special
Rapporteur” on torture and other inhuman treatment and punishment, approached
the council with evidence of widespread torture taking place across the world
under the guise of health or medical care. For example, people with
psychosocial disabilities, sex workers, street children and homeless
individuals are often detained in “rehabilitation centers” which cause severe
suffering for no justifiable medical reason. If there is state involvement or
any specific intent, this cruel and unjust treatment falls under the current UN
definition of torture. Méndez also cites examples of authorities denying addicts
medication in order to elicit a criminal confession, which he also considers
torture (and a violation of basic human rights).

Personally,
I was extremely shocked to read about the terrible treatment beneficiaries of
medical care receive. Some of the examples the UN torture expert cited take
place in the United States as well, and are allowed to exist solely because
people assume everything under the umbrella of medical care is largely
positive. The relatively low amount of investigation into the treatment of
victims in rehabilitation centers is also shocking. Hopefully this report can
serve as a call to action of sorts for the US and other nations in the UN, and
can encourage these countries to examine their medical care systems with more
scrutiny.